lower criticism

English

Etymology

Calque of German niedere Kritik. In contrast to higher criticism, i.e. historical criticism, the broader interpretation of texts as historical sources, understood as building on the results of “lower criticism”.

Noun

lower criticism (uncountable)

1. (dated) Synonym of textual criticism (“scientific reconstruction of original historical texts”).
   • 1891 August, Llewelyn J. Evans, “The Inerrancy of Scripture”, in The Homiletic Review, volume 22, number 2, page 106:

     Nor should it be forgotten in this connection that the conclusions of the Lower Criticism respecting the text were at first as vehemently assailed as are those of the Higher Criticism respecting the contents of Scripture, and from similar premises.